Kelsey and Braden held their gorgeous spring wedding at Celebration Farm located just north of Iowa City. It was one of the HOTTEST days of spring, easily over 100 degrees outside. At one point Kelsey had asked if we could take photos at Wilson’s apple orchard nearby, and we had hoped to take photos by a gorgeous willow tree there…but it would have involved a major hike. I was so worried someone would faint, so we simplified things and did all of their portraits at the top of the hill at the orchard. This was perhaps one of the best decisions we made – they ended up being my favorite photos of the day!

It was an incredible wedding day, and of course I need to give credit to the wonderful vendors:

See that tree waaaaaaaaaaay far off in the distance at the bottom of the hill? That’s the willow tree Kelsey had her heart set on. While I’m sure it would have been beautiful, I’m glad we had a backup plan and that this small spot at the top of the hill with a little bit of shade worked perfectly!

This was such a sweet moment. While we were setting up Kelsey for bridal portraits featuring her cathedral length veil, Braden was grinning at her like a fool – it was SO adorable!

Two of myths favorite images from their day!

One thing we are often asked is how much time you need for photos of the bride and groom. For most weddings, we request at least 30 minutes, and usually we are able to get a LOT of variety in that amount of time. I think for Kelsey and Braden we were quicker just because it was so unbelievably hot! We tend to be fast when it comes to portraits and keep things moving, but still achieve beautiful results!

One of my favorite wedding color palettes – dusty blue and pink!

In love with these gorgeous peonies bouquets paired with the blue bridesmaid dresses!

The guys look good too!

Kelsey and Braden’s ceremony was held outdoors at the amphitheater at Celebration Farm. It’s the perfect setting and the sun sets in THE most perfect spot too!

Congrats to the newlyweds!

A few sunset portraits right outside the barn…

Their first dance was one of my favorite moments of the day – you could just see how happy they are!

I have photographed weddings for over 10 years, and now that I have my own kids, I have found my perspective on the parent dances shifting with time. They are incredibly important moments, and I choke up nearly every time. It’s fast becoming one of my favorite parts of a wedding day.